Categories: New York City
04.18.2014
Mr. Estes served at Jericho Project and the Network's Steering Committee
The Network would like to pay its respects to Gene Estess, a former leader of the supportive housing community who passed away last week. Mr. Estess served for 18 years as the Executive Director of Jericho Project, one of our longtime members, from 1987 to 2005. He also acted as Chair of the Network’s Steering Committee from 2001-2002. He was 78 years old.
“Gene had a tremendous impact on Jericho Project and on the supportive housing community, and he truly believed in the transformative change that supportive housing has on the lives of homeless individuals,” says Tori Lyon, Jericho’s Executive Director and a Network Board Member. “He cared deeply about Jericho's tenants and staff, and he will truly be missed.”
Mr. Estess’ story is a unique and inspiring one. For years, Mr. Estess worked on Wall Street as a broker for L.F. Rothschild, Unterberg, Towbin, an investment banking firm. A 1984 encounter with a homeless woman would change his life forever. Mr. Estess met Patricia, a woman living with mental illness in Grand Central Terminal. He spoke with her daily at the station and offered her money for the day. He eventually helped her receive services at Jericho Project, which at that time was still in its infancy.
A short time later, Mr. Estess quit his job on Wall Street and become the nonprofit’s Executive Director. He was 52-years-old when he made this career U-turn.
"For 20-some-odd years I really didn’t have a good day," he said in a 2003 New York Times article. "I didn’t come home with any stories to tell or satisfaction or a feeling I’d done anything to help anybody except myself and my family."
Prior to Mr. Estess’ arrival at the organization, Jericho Project specialized in providing support services and temporary housing to at-risk New Yorkers, not supportive housing. Mr. Estess’ leadership inspired an expansion in focus. In 1990, the organization opened Jericho House, its first supportive housing residence. Jericho now operates seven supportive housing residences and more than 100 scattered-site apartments for formerly homeless New Yorkers across the city. By the time Mr. Estess retired in 2005, the organization housed 309 adults in five supportive housing residences.
These individuals have homes because Mr. Estess decided to one day stop and speak with a homeless woman at Grand Central Terminal. His story reminds us the power that a single gesture of goodwill can have on those around us.
At the Network, Mr. Estess’ guided our organization for two pivotal years as the Chair of our Steering Committee, which at that time served as our Board of Directors.
"Gene was a compassionate, no-nonsense businessman who got things done," says Maureen Friar, then Network Executive Director and current Strategic Development Officer at Community Access. "He motivated many government and business leaders to do the same when it came to investing in housing for homeless and low income New Yorkers. I loved our visits to Albany and in the city where he would speak in a direct and persuasive manner about the need to do the right thing with our tax dollars. Gene had a generous heart and was a mentor to many. His legacy continues in the supportive housing community in New York as thousands more homes have been built due to his leadership and dedication. How truly grateful we are."
Mr. Estess is survived by his wife Pat Schiff Estess and his children Noah Estess, Andrea Wohl, Peter Wohl and Jen Wohl, his sister Barbara Leber and seven grandchildren. We express our condolences to Mr. Estess’ friends and family, and we salute his inspirational work to better the lives of homeless New Yorkers.
Photo: Gene Estess and his wife Pat Schiff Estess, courtesy of Jericho Project.